Minature car paint spraying apparatus



United States Patent George Dunsay Floral Park;

Leonard Cohn, Roslyn, New York 806,372

March 12,1969

Dec. 1, 1970 Physio-Chem Corporation Westbury, New York Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee MINIATURE CAR PAINT SPRAYING APPARATUS 17 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl..i.,. 118/6, 118/324, 118/326 Int. Cl B05c 5/00, B05c 1 1/16 Field of Search 1 18/6, 324,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,114 11/1931 Kinney .1 118/324X 3,072,095 1/1963 Keessen et a1.. 118/6 3,386,415 6/1968 Faber 118/324X 3,404,658 10/1968 French et a1 1 18/6 Primary Examiner-John P. Mclntosh AttorneyStoll and Stoll ABSTRACT: A paint spraying apparatus for miniature motor vehicles, comprising a spray station. including a paint sprayer, conveyor means for transporting a miniature motor vehicle to and away from said spray station, and a turntable connected to the conveyor for reversing the position of the miniature motor vehicle relative to the paint sprayer, so that one side of the motor vehicle is sprayed on its first exposure to the paint sprayer, and the opposite side is sprayed on its second exposure thereto Patented -Dec.'1, 1970 Sheet 1 of 3 INVENTORS GEORGE DUNS/9 Y LEONHRO C OHN Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Q Sheet 2 of 5 INVENTORS GEORGE DUNSRY LEON/7RD COHN ATTORNEYS vllllllliilfil lrIIllf/Illflll 1 Patented Dec. 1,1970

Sheet 5 of3 INVENTORS G'EORGE DUNSAY LEONARD C 0H N JQTTOFNE Y3 1 MINIATURE CAR PAINT SPRAYING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Miniature motor vehicles, such as passenger cars, buses, trucks, and means for painting and repainting such motor vehicles in selected colors in a paint shop environment.

2. Description of the Prior Art The closest prior art known to applicants consists of the-following U.S. Pat. Nos.:

2,168,010-V erplanck. 2,211,220Verplanck. 2,232,606Hudson. 2,548,957Di Rosa. 2,776,522Schramm. 3, 174,519Pizzurro. 3,189,232Jolfe. 3,145,545-Holland.

The above patents were located in the course of a patentability search conducted shortly prior to the filing of this application. They have been carefully studied, and are not believed to anticipate the invention which is disclosed herein and which is hereinafter more fully described. The prior patents above cited do not show any paint spraying means for miniature motor vehicles, they do not show a spiral spring conveyor system of the type herein disclosed and claimed, and they do not show turntable switching means for reversing the position of the motor vehicle so that it may be sprayed first on one side and then on the other. Nor do the prior patents show a paint sprayer which is operable only within the closed and protected confines of a miniature paint shop, said sprayer being inoperable elsewhere, such as where damage might be done, as against the walls of a room, articles of furniture, or wherever a child may be inclined to do mischief.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises, essentially, a miniature paint shop, a conveyor system for transporting a miniature motor vehicle into and out of the paint shop, paint spray means within the paint shop, and means for reversing the position of the motor vehicle so that it will be sprayed first on one side and then on the other side. The invention also includes a platform which supports the paint shop, as well as the conveyor system and the miniature motor vehicles which are transported thereby. The platform extends both inside and outside the paint shop and is provided with a conveyor track which leads into, through, and out of said shop.

The conveyor system comprises an endless helical spring which coincides with said conveyor track, motor drive means connected to said helical spring, and a miniature motor car carrier which is provided with track and spring-engaging pins. These pins are guided in and by the track and they constitute the connecting means between the helical spring conveyor and the motor car carrier.

In the operation of this device a miniature motor car is manually placed on the carrier and the carrier is placed on the platform with its guide pins projecting through the conveyor track and into engagement with the helical spring conveyor. Operation of the helical spring conveyor causes the carrier and the motor vehicle which it supports to be moved along the track and into the spray station in the paint shop. The paint spray means is manually actuated and the motor vehicle is sprayed on one side thereof as it passes through the spray station. Actuation of the spray means also increases the speed of movement of the conveyor, for the duration of the spraying operation, so as to reduce the exposure time of the motor vehicle to the spray apparatus.

A turntable is provided athwart the conveyor track and helical spring conveyor. The turntable is manually rotatable and is provided with a single track which is adapted to register at one end with the dischargeend of the conveyor track in order to receive the motor vehicle therefrom. This brings the carrier to a halt on the turntable which may then be rotated to reverse the position of the carrier and the motor vehicle mounted thereon. The turntable track now registers with the entry end of the conveyor track and the carrier will now be moved into reengagement with the spring conveyor which will again transport it to the spray station. The unsprayed side of the motor vehicle will not be exposed to the sprayer to complete the painting operation.

All of the operative parts of the spray means are located within the paint shop and the spraying operation takes place only within the confines of the paint shop. As has above been noted, this will prevent operation of the spray means in an unprotected area where damage can be done. The spray means is manually operable when the miniature car is brought into the spray station by the conveyor. Operation of the spray means automatically actuates a speed-increasing system whereby the conveyor is caused to move at a greater rate of speed. The carrier and the motor vehicle mounted thereon will accordingly be moved through the spray station at an accelerated pace. The purpose of this feature is to reduce the exposure of the motor vehicle to the paint spray to the time required to coat the motor vehicle on its exposed side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire miniature car paint spraying apparatus which is herein described and claimed.

FIG. 2 is a top view thereof, partly in horizontal section, a portion of the paint shop enclosure being removed to expose the spray means.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the apparatus, showing its conveyor means and electrical circuitry.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the details of the turntable 'and its relationship to the conveyor.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on the line 6-6 ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the conveyor drive mechanism, showing how said mechanism engages and drives the conveyor.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly broken away and in section, showing the details of the paint spray mechanism, including the valve mechanism of the pressurized paint container.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram showing the electrical circuits and components of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the details of the invention as shown in the drawing, it will be noted that the claimed apparatus includes a base or platform 10, a paint shop housing 12 mounted on said platform, an endless conveyor 14 supported by said platform, a conveyor track 16 formed in said platform in registration with said conveyor, a turntable l8 rotatably mounted on said platform, said turntable having a track 20 extending across it, paint spray means 22 mounted in said paint shop enclosure 12, a pressurized paint container 24 adapted to feed paint to the paint sprayer 22, and a carrier 26 which is adapted to engage the conveyor and transport a miniature motor vehicle 28 through the paint shop enclosure for exposure to the paint 5 ray.

Base or platform 10 is a hollow structure, comprising, preferably, a plastic molding, and adapted to enclose various of the working parts of the invention, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Specifically, a tubular or channel-shaped element 30 is provided and supported within the hollow base or platform, immediately below conveyor track 16. As clearly appears in the drawing, this conveyor track is a slot which is formed in the top wall of the base or platform. Supported within said tubular or channel-shaped member 30 is the endless conveyor l4, and it will now be noted that said endless conveyor consists of a helically coiled spring connected at its respective ends to form an endless' band. Conveyor i4 is not only supported within said tubular or channel-shaped element 30; it is also freely, longitudinally movable therein.

The means for causing such longitudinal movement of the helically coiled spring conveyor 14 comprises a battery-driven electric motor 32;, a worm drive 34, a worm wheel 36, and a gear or sprocket wheel 38 whose teeth are interengageable with the coils or convolutions of the spring conveyor 14.

The coil spring conveyor provides a number of features and advantages such as flexibility and resilience. This would reduce and even prevent the shock of abrupt starting and stopping operations. Also, as will shortly be seen, a coil spring conveyor is readily engageable at any point along its entire length by the connecting means between said conveyor and the motor vehicle carrier above mentioned.

The motor vehicle carrier 26 comprises a body 26a mounted on wheels 26b and having a plurality of slots 260 formed therein. These slots are adapted to receive the wheels 28a of miniature motor vehicle 28 in order to prevent accidental or unintentional dislodgement of the motor vehicle from the carrier.

Projecting downwardly from the body 26a of the motor vehicle carrier 26 is at least one pin 27, and preferably two such pins, one adjacent each end ofthe carrier. These pins are adapted to project downwardly through conveyor track or slot 16 and into engagement with the coil spring conveyor 14. These pins engage the spring by the simple expedient of slipping between its convolutions.

lt will be noted that the turntable 18 is rotatably mounted in a generally cylindrical well 119 formed in the platform. This cylindrical well is situated off center with respect to the conveyor i4, and consequently the turntable itself is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis which is offset from the conveyor. Turntable track 20, however, extends diametrically across the turntable. Consequently, it is not possible to register both ends of the turntable track with the corresponding ends of the conveyor track at the same time.

interconnecting stop members are provided on the turntable and on the platform to limit the rotational movement of the turntable. Specifically, a projection 19a is formed on the bottom wall of turntable well l9 and a pair of projections 18a and 13b are formed on the bottom surface of turntable l8, facing the bottom wall of turntable well 119. Projections 18a and 381') are engageable with opposite sides of projection 19a. It will now be noted that one of those projections 18a will serve as a stop against projection 19a when the turntable is rotated in one angular direction and that projection 18b serves as a stop against projection 19a when the turntable is rotated in the opposite angular direction. In one angular position the turntable track 20 registers with the terminal end 16a of the con veyor track, while said turntable track registers with the starting end 16b of the conveyor track when the turntable occupies its second angular position. In neither instance do both ends of the turntable track register concurrently with both ends of the conveyor track.

In the operation of this device, a miniature motor vehicle 28 is placed upon the carrier 26 and the carrier is placed upon the platform it] across conveyor track 16 at the starting end 16b thereof. Pins 27 of the carrier project through said conveyor track and into engagement with the coil spring conveyor 14. Motor 32 is now energized by circuit means which will shortly be described, and the conveyor is caused to move longitudinally of itself. This will cause the carrier and its motor vehicle to be transported to and through the pain shop housing 12. In this connection, it will be noted that ingress doors 40 are provided on one side of said housing and egress doors 42 are provided on the opposite side thereof. These doors are hingedly mounted on the paint shop housing and are spring. biased in closed positions. They are, however, free to open when encountered by the moving carrier.

When the carrier enters the paint shop housing through ingress doors 40, the spray means may be manually operated to spray the motor vehicle which is mounted on the carrier. This may be done by pressing downwardly upon the pressurized paint container 2 This brings the container valve 44 into engagement with the paint sprayer 22, and the valve thereupon opens. The pressurized contents of the paint container will now be forced through the paint sprayer and will be sprayed upon the motor vehicle. Since the paint sprayer is situated on one side of the conveyor track, the spray impinges upon the corresponding side of the motor vehicle. it therefore becomes necessary to reverse the position of the motor vehicle relative to the paint spray in order to spray the opposite side of said vehicle. This procedure will shortly be described.

it will be noted that the pressurized pain container 24 engages a switch 46 at the same time that it engages the paint sprayer 22. It will be seen in the discussion ofthe electrical circuit of this device that switch 46 is thereby closed and additional electrical power is supplied to the motor and the rate or speed of movement of the conveyor is accelerated. Since the carrier is keyed to the conveyor. this will cause a corresponding acceleration of the movement of the carrier and its motor vehicle through the paint spraying station. This will limit the duration of the exposure of the motor vehicle to the paint spray, and it will thereby limit the amount or" paint which will be applied thereto. The thinner the paint coating, the quicker will it dry.

A switch 47 is provided to close a circuit to lamp which is situated within the paint shop housing. Lamp emits infrared radiations to help dry the paint coating on the motor vehicle. The paint may not be wholly dry by the time the motor vehicle is transported out of the paint shop housing. Consequently, it will be understood that at no time does the motor vehicle make contact with the egress doors 42. The carrier is the door-engaging means, and since the carrier is larger in horizontal dimensions than the motor vehicle which it supports, it will be the carrier alone which will engage and cam the doors to open position.

The conveyor will now transport the carrier and its motor vehicle to the terminal end lea of the conveyor track. The turntable will now occupy such angular position relative to the conveyor track that the turntable track will register with the conveyor track at the terminal end thereof. The carrier will now be moved onto the turntable, and it will remain stationary thereon. The following steps are taken: The turntable is now rotated to its second angular position relative to the conveyor track. This will cause the turntable track to register with the conveyor track at the starting end 16b thereof. The carrier may now be pushed manually into engagement with the conveyor, and it will once again be transported into and through the paint shop housing. However, the motor vehicle will now be in reverse position relative to the paint sprayer, and its un painted side will now be sprayed when the paint spraying operation above described is repeated.

Reference to the circuit diagram will disclose the fact that the above described device embodies a simple electrical circuit. Power is supplied by two sets of dry cell batteries 5i) and 52, respectively, these sets of batteries being connected in se ries. Electrical motor 32; is series connected to batteries 59 through a manually actuated switch 5 3. This switch is actuated in order to operate the conveyor. As has above been indicated, when the conveyor transports the carrier with its motor vehicle into the paint shop housing, the paint spray means is actuated by pressing downwardly upon the pressurized container. This causes the container valve to open, and the paint is thereby sprayed through the paint spray device onto the motor vehicle. Pressing downwardly on the pressurized container also produces the effect of closing switch 46. As the circuit diagram indicates, this switch, when closed, connects motor 32 in series with both sets of batteries fill and 52. The added power thus supplied to the motor increases its speed of rotation and accelerates the movement of the carrier through the paint spray station. At the same time, switch 47 may be manually closed in order to connect lamp 48 to batteries 50 and 52, thereby energizing the lamp. To enhance the effectiveness of the operation above described, and to give it added realism, lamp 48 may be of the infrared variety, in order to provide heat to dry the paint. The paint is,

v of course, of a quick-drying nature, and this infrared drying action will merely accelerate the drying of the paint.

The foregoing is illustrative of a preferred form of this invention, and itwill be clearly understood that this form may be modified and other forms may be provided within the broad scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Paint spraying apparatus for miniature motor vehicles, comprising:

a. a platform;

b. a conveyor track formed in said platform;

'0. a conveyor supported by said platform in registration with said conveyor track;

d. a turntable rotatably mounted on said platform across said conveyor;

e. said conveyor track being interrupted to accommodate said turntable;

whereby the conveyor track starts at one side of the turntable and terminates at the opposite side thereof;

g. said turntable being provided with .a trackv extending across it;

h. said turntable track being adapted to register with the conveyor track at its terminal end when the turntable occupies one angular position relative to the conveyor track;

i. said turntable track being adapted to register with the conveyor track at its starting end when the turntable is rotated to another angular position relative to said conveyor track;

j. a paint shop housing mounted on said platform across said conveyor and conveyor track;

k. ingress and egress means provided on opposite sides of said housing;

I. paint spray means mounted in said housing;

m. a miniature motor vehicle carrier supported on said platform;

n. said carrier being provided with conveyor-engaging means projecting through the conveyor track and adapted to be guided by said track;

0. whereby said carrier with a miniature motor vehicle mounted thereon may be transported by the conveyor, along the conveyor track, through the paint shop housing and its ingress and egress means;

p. whereby one side of the motor vehicle is exposed to the paint spray means to be sprayed thereby;

said carrier being thereafter transported by the conveyor along the conveyor track to the terminal end thereof and thence onto the turntable when it is in its first angular position relative to the conveyor track;

. said turntable being then rotatable to its second angular position relative to the conveyor track in order to reverse the position of the carrier and motor vehicle thereon;

. said carrier with its motor vehicle mounted thereon being thereby movable off the turntable and into engagement with the conveyor at its starting end;

. thereby again transporting the carrier and motor vehicle mounted thereon through the paint shop housing; and

u. exposing the opposite side of the motor vehicle to the paint spray means to be sprayed thereby.

2. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein:

a. the conveyor comprises an endless helical coil spring;

b. motor driven means operatively connected to said helical coil spring conveyor to drive it along the conveyor track; and

c. the conveyor-engaging means of the vehicle carrier comprising at least one pin projecting through the conveyor track into engagement with the helical coil spring conveyor.

3. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor track comprises a slot formed in the platform in registration with the conveyor.

4. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

a. the turntable track extends substantially diametrically across the turntable;

b. said turntable being situated in off center relation to the conveyor track; and

c. thereby precluding concurrent registration of both ends of the turntable track with both ends of the conveyor track.

5. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 4,

wherein:

a. intercepting stop means are provided on the turntable and platform;

b. whereby the turntable track registers with the terminal end of the conveyor track when the turntable is stopped in its rotation in one angular direction; and

c. the turntable track registers with the starting end of the conveyor track when the turntable is stopped in its rotation in the opposite angular direction.

6. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

a. the motor vehicle carrier comprises a wheel-supported body; and

b. having slots formed therein to receive the wheels of a miniature motor vehicle and thereby to position said motor vehicle thereon.

7. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim i.

wherein:

a.-the ingress and egress means on opposite sides of the paint shop housing comprise swinging doors extending across the conveyor and conveyor track;

b. these doors being spring-biased in closed positions; and

c. being adapted to open when encountered by the motor vehicle carrier to allow it to enter and leave the paint shop housing.

8. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the paint spray means comprises:

a. a paint sprayer;

b. a pressurized paint container; and

c. normally closed. manually openable, valve means between said sprayer and said container.

9. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 8,

wherein:

a. the paint spray'er is situated on one side of the conveyor and conveyor track; and

b. in order to spray only one side of the miniature motor vehicle at one time.

10. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

a. conveyor speed-increasing means is connected to the spray valve; and

b. in order to reduce. the time of exposure of the miniature motor vehicle to the paint spray when the spray valve is 7 open.

11. Paint spraying apparatus for miniature motor vehicles, comprising:

a. a platform;

b. a conveyor track formed in said platform;

c. a conveyor supported by said platform in registration with said conveyor track;

d. a paint shop housing mounted on said platform across said conveyor and conveyor track;

e. ingress and egress means provided on opposite sides of said housing;

f. paint spray means mounted in said housing;

g. a miniature motor vehicle carrier movably supported on said platform;

h. said carrier being provided with conveyor-engaging means projecting through the conveyor track and adapted to be guided by said track;

i. whereby said carrier with a miniature motor vehicle mounted thereon may be transported by the conveyor, along the conveyor track, through the paint shop housing and its ingress and egress meansjand j. whereby the motor vehicle is exposed to the paint spray means to be sprayed thereby.

12. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 11,

wherein:

a. the conveyor comprises an endless helical coil spring;

b. motor driven means operatively connected to said helical coil spring conveyor to drive it along the conveyor track; and

c, the conveyor-engaging means of the vehicle carrier comprising at least one pin projecting through the conveyor track into engagement with the helical coil spring conveyor. v

13. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 11. wherein the conveyor track comprises a slot formed in the platform in registration with the conveyor.

14. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim ll, wherein:

a. the motor vehicle carrier comprises a wheel-supported body; and

b. having slots formed therein to receive the wheels of a miniature motor vehicle and thereby to position said motor vehicle thereon.

15. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim ll,

wherein:

a. the ingress and egress means on opposite sides of the paint shop housing comprise swinging doors extending across the conveyor and conveyor track;

b. these doors being spring-biased in closed positions; and

c. being adapted to open when encountered by the motor vehicle carrier to allow it to enter and leave the paint shop housing.

16. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim 2!! wherein the paint spray means comprises:

a. a paint sprayer;

a pressurized paint container; and

c. normally closed, manually openable, valve I means between said sprayer and said container.

17. Paint spraying apparatus in accordance with claim wherein:

a conveyor speed-increasing means is connected to the spray valve; and

b. in order to reduce the time of exposure of the miniature motor vehicle to the paint spray when the spray valve is open. 

